diff --git a/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/FilterHolder.java b/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/FilterHolder.java
index 3f41d532715..e69910480a7 100644
--- a/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/FilterHolder.java
+++ b/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/FilterHolder.java
@@ -97,7 +97,19 @@ public class FilterHolder extends Holder<Filter>
             super.stop();
             throw new IllegalStateException(msg);
         }
+    }
+    
+    
+    
 
+
+
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+    @Override
+    public void initialize() throws Exception
+    {
+        super.initialize();
+        
         if (_filter==null)
         {
             try
@@ -123,6 +135,7 @@ public class FilterHolder extends Holder<Filter>
         _filter.init(_config);
     }
 
+
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
     @Override
     public void doStop()
diff --git a/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/Holder.java b/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/Holder.java
index f67b635bf17..0b7a1fb8f0e 100644
--- a/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/Holder.java
+++ b/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/Holder.java
@@ -82,6 +82,19 @@ public class Holder<T> extends AbstractLifeCycle implements Dumpable
     {
         return _extInstance;
     }
+    
+    
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+    /**
+     * Do any setup necessary after starting
+     * @throws Exception
+     */
+    public void initialize()
+    throws Exception
+    {
+        if (!isStarted())
+            throw new IllegalStateException("Not started: "+this);
+    }
 
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
diff --git a/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/ServletHandler.java b/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/ServletHandler.java
index a413cab28b1..9baefac40ab 100644
--- a/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/ServletHandler.java
+++ b/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/ServletHandler.java
@@ -741,6 +741,7 @@ public class ServletHandler extends ScopedHandler
             try
             {
                 h.start();
+                h.initialize();
             }
             catch (Exception e)
             {
diff --git a/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/ServletHolder.java b/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/ServletHolder.java
index 8ff369ef0ec..6de3b7e48bf 100644
--- a/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/ServletHolder.java
+++ b/jetty-servlet/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlet/ServletHolder.java
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ public class ServletHolder extends Holder<Servlet> implements UserIdentity.Scope
         _enabled = enabled;
     }
 
-
+    
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
     public void doStart()
         throws Exception
@@ -319,7 +319,17 @@ public class ServletHolder extends Holder<Servlet> implements UserIdentity.Scope
 
         if (_class!=null && javax.servlet.SingleThreadModel.class.isAssignableFrom(_class))
             _servlet = new SingleThreadedWrapper();
-
+     
+    }
+    
+    
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+    @Override
+    public void initialize ()
+    throws Exception
+    {
+        super.initialize();
+        
         if (_extInstance || _initOnStartup)
         {
             try
@@ -335,7 +345,8 @@ public class ServletHolder extends Holder<Servlet> implements UserIdentity.Scope
             }
         }
     }
-
+    
+    
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
     public void doStop()
         throws Exception
diff --git a/jetty-servlets/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlets/AbstractDoSFilterTest.java b/jetty-servlets/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlets/AbstractDoSFilterTest.java
index 044c6660ae9..b81a1e44de4 100644
--- a/jetty-servlets/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlets/AbstractDoSFilterTest.java
+++ b/jetty-servlets/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/servlets/AbstractDoSFilterTest.java
@@ -98,7 +98,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractDoSFilterTest
     public void startFilters() throws Exception
     {
         _dosFilter.start();
+        _dosFilter.initialize();
         _timeoutFilter.start();
+        _timeoutFilter.initialize();
     }
 
     @After